Washing machine



Sept. 17, 1940. w. H. FISCHER 2,215,032

WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 193 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 17, 1940. w. H. FISCHER WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 193

Q'ZVIJFW/J/ W X /A'ay Fi inn/ref M Z/ZZWMW 5/ W Ma/Wg/s size washing machine or apartment washer of Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE William H. Fischer, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Knapp-Monarch Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 12, 1937,, Serial No. 120,203

5 Claims. (Cl. 68-132) An object of my invention is to provide a small of Figure 1 showing t shape of t agitator blade.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral ill to indicate a tub and I! a cover therefor. The peripheral edge of the cover i2 is rolled as indicated at H, while the upper edge of the tub I0 is also rolled as indicated at IS. The rolled edge It projects beyond the rolled edge it, as shown in Figure 2, and a gasket G is provided to serve as a water-tight connection between the rolled edges of the tub and cover.

The gasket G may be made of rubber or the like and preferably has a semi-circular bead l8 and an inverted V-shaped bead 20. The bead l8 encircles the rolled edge H of the cover l2, while the V-shaped bead 20 is adapted to straddle the upper rolled edge It of the tub I0 when the cover 12 is placed thereon. The normal shape of the gasket G is shown in Figure 3, while the distorted shape thereof in Figure 2 is the result of the association of the cover with the tub. This distortion provides an effective seal against the leakage of water from the tub II] when the washing machine is in operation.

The cover i2 has depending therefrom an agitator shaft 22. An agitator A is mounted on the shaft 22 in position to agitate the clothing in the tub i0 during the washing operation. ihe agitator A has a central hub 24 secured, as by a set screw 26, to the shaft 22. Radiating from the hub 24 are blades 28 having their terminal ends depending and. inclined as indicated at 30. With this construction effective agitation of the clothing and water driving of the water through the clothing is provided upon oscillation of the agitator A.

For oscillating the agitator shaft 22 I provide gearing mechanism within a gear casing 32. The gearing mechanism is driven by a motor M, the shaft of which is indicated at 3st and projects into the gear casing Within the gear casing a partition wall is provided which may be made an integral part of the gear casing cover 38 by being secured thereto in spaced relationship. For this purpose I show spacer posts 40, the ends of which are riveted or otherwise secured to the plates 35 and 38.

A reinforcing plate 42 is provided on the partitlon wall 36 for a pair of bearing sleeves 44 and 45, and a stud 48, which are riveted to the plates 36 and 42. The bearing sleeves have flanges Figure 7 is a plan view of the agitator used in which are spun or swaged into the shape illusmy washing machine; and trated after the sleeves have been inserted Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-! through suitable perforations in the plates 36 simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a washing machine comprising a tub and a cover removably positioned on the tub, an agitator and an electric motor for operating it being mounted on the cover and entirely supported and carried thereby.

Still a further object is to provide between the upper edge of the tub and the peripheral edge of the cover a novel and inexpensive gasket connection which prevents the water in the tub from being splashed out when the agitator is in operation.

A further object is to provide washing mechanism mounted on the cover and comprising an agitator depending from the cover to a position within the tub, suitable gearing and an electric motor being provided for oscillating the agitator Another object is to provide ventilating openings in a housing on the cover, such housing being provided to enclose the operating mechanism and motor of the washing machine, the motor being provided with a fan for circulating cooling air through the housing for thus keeping the motor cool.

Still a further object is to provide a novel an inexpensive gear train arrangement for transforming the high speed rotation of the motor into a slow speed oscillation for the agitator.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more-iuliylset forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of a washing mechine embodying my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views of the gasket connection between the tub and the cover.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line L4 of Figure 1 showing part of the gear train mechanism.

Figure 5 is a similar sectional view on the line 8-5 of Figure 1 showing further details of the gear train.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the broken section line 8--8 of Figure 4, a part of the section being rotated to gives. better conception of the complete gear train.

till

and 42. Likewise, the stud 48 has a riveted head 52 for the purpose of rigidly securing the stud relative to the plates.

Journalled in the bearings 44 and 46 I provide shafts 54 and 56. Gears and pinions 58, 60, 62 and 64 are secured to the projecting ends of the shafts 54 and 56. The gear and pinions are preferably a press fit on the ends of the shafts so that they are permanently mounted after being assembled at the factory. A pinion 66 on the motor shaft 34 meshes with the gear 58. The pinion meshes with the gear 62. The pinion 64 meshes with a gear 68 journalled on the stud 48.

Thus I provide a step-down gear train for driving a crank pin 10 which extends from the gear 68. A link 12 extends from the crank pin 10 to a second crank pin 14. The crank pin 74 extends from a gear sector 76 which is pivoted on a stationary stud 78. The stud i8 is a press fit in a boss 80 of the gear casing 32. The gear sector 18 meshes with a pinion 82 which is secured to the upper end of the agitator shaft 22. The agitator shaft itself is journalled in a bearing sleeve 86 which depends from the gear casing 32 and the cover l2.

During assembly of the operating mechanism for the agitator A, the agitator shaft 22 and its pinion 82 are placed in position and after the agitator is mounted on the lower end of the shaft, the shaft is retained against upward movement by the hub 24. The sector 16 is dropped on the stud 18, after which the assembly of cover plate 36, partition wall 36 and the gear train, including the link 72 (previously assembled) can be placed in position on the gear casing with the free end of the link 72 receiving the pin 14 of the sector 16. Screws 66 are then utilized to secure the cover plate and gear assembly in position.

Before the partition wall 36 and the gear train are assembled on the gear casing cover plate 38, the motor M may be secured to the cover plate, an enlarged perforation 88 in the partition wall 36 being provided to permit passage of the motor pinion 66 through the partition wall to meshing position with the gear 58.

For enclosing the gear casing 32 and the motor M I provide a housing H secured to the cover I2 as by rivets 96. The housing H is provided with lower ventilating openings 92 and upper ventilating openings 94. On the shaft of the motor an ordinary sheet metal propeller fan 96 is mounted for causing an upward circulation of air through the housing H. This draws cooling air in through the ventilating openings 92 for keeping the motor cool and discharges it to atmosphere through the upper ventilating openings 94.

some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a washing machine, a tub, a cover therefor having a depressed portion, a housing extending upwardly from said depressed portion and having a top wall, ventilating openings in said housing adjacent said cover and adjacent said top wall, an agitator mounted on a shaft depending from said depressed portion, a gear casing mounted within said depressed portion and receiving said agitator shaft, a motor mounted on said gear casing and having a shaft extending thereinto, an operative connection within said gear casing between said agitator and motor shaft and a fan on the upper end of said motor shaft adapted to draw air in through said ventilating openings adjacent said cover and expel air centrifugally through said ventilating openings adjacent said top wall.

2. In a washing machine, a tub, a double cover therefor, a gear casing mounted on the lower part of said cover, an agitator mounted upon a shaft extending through said lower part of said cover, operating mechanism for said agitator shaft including elements within said gear casing, said operating mechanism including an electric motor mounted above the gear casing, a housing therefor, said housing having ventilating openings adjacent the tub and adjacent the top of the housing, a fan driven by said motor to concentrate a circulation of air first through said openings adjacent the tub, then outside said gear housing and around said motor and then through said openings adjacent said top of said housing.

3. In a compact washing machine mechanism, the combination of a tub, a cover therefor, a gear casing and a motor carried by said cover, an agitator shaft depending from said gear casing and cover in axial alignment with said motor, an agitator thereon, gearing interposed between said agitator and said motor and located within said gear casing for operatively connecting said agitator shaft to the shaft of said motor, and a housing for said gear casing and motor, said housing being substantially smaller in diameter than said cover, centrally located thereon and having a cooling space therein surrounding said motor and gear casing.

4. In a compact enclosed washing machine mechanism, the combination of a tub, a cover therefor, a gear casing and a motor carried by said cover, an agitator shaft in axial alignment with and operated by said motor and depending from said gear casing and cover, balanced symmetrical agitator thereon, a housing for said gear casing and motor, means for ventilating the in terior of said housing and said gear casing comprising two series of ventilating openings adjacent said cover and adjacent the top of the housing and a fan driven by said motor and in axial alignment therewith, said fan being adapted to circulate air through said openings and housing and being aligned with one of said. series of openings to expel air centrifugally there through.

5. In a washing machine, a tub, a cover therefor, a housing supported by said cover and having two series of air openings therein adjacent the bottom and the top of the housing, said series being spaced from each other, a casing within said housing and mounted on said cover, an agitator shaft depending from said cover and extending into said casing and also into said tub, an agitator carried by said shaft within said tub, operating mechanism for said shaft disposed Within said casing, a motor supported above the casing and between the top of the housing and said cover and operatively connected to said operating mechanism and a fan connected with the motor shaft and disposed above the motor whereby upon operation of the fan air currents will be drawn through onese'ries of said openings and directed against the motor and centrifugally discharged through the other series of said openings.

WILLIAM H. FISCHER. 

